Report: Personal and Professional Development Plan and Strategies

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of personal and professional development, focusing on self-managed learning, lifelong learning, and the development of a personal development plan. Task 1 explores approaches to self-managed learning, such as internet resources, mentoring, research, and seminars, evaluating their suitability and benefits for both individuals and organizations. It also discusses lifelong learning strategies, including continuous learning, self-analysis, effective leadership, motivation, and communication skills. Task 2 assesses current skills and competencies against professional standards and organizational objectives, identifying development opportunities and outlining a personal development plan. The report also addresses individual training needs for a work-based problem, examines learning styles and communication strategies, and evaluates various time management techniques. The conclusion summarizes the key findings and recommendations for enhancing personal and professional growth.

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Approaches to self managed learning and evaluation of their suitability........................1
1.2 Approaches towards lifelong learning..............................................................................2
1.3 Benefits of self-managed learning to individual and organization...................................3
4.1 Individual training or qualification required for a work-based problem..........................4
4.2 Learning styles and communication of information at various levels of organization....4
4.3 Evaluating different time management strategy...............................................................5
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
2.1 Current skills and competencies against professional standards as well as organizational
objectives................................................................................................................................6
2.2 Personal and Professional analysis...................................................................................7
2.3 Development opportunities to meet current as well as future needs................................8
2.4 Personal development Plan...............................................................................................8
3.1 Short and long-term objectives.........................................................................................9
3.2 Documentation of the planned activities..........................................................................9
3.3 Critically evaluate own learning against the desired objectives.....................................10
3.4 Update of Plan................................................................................................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
The personal and professional development helps in enhancement of skills and further it
assist in applying different strategies which shall assist in developing one’s own learning. The
assignment will help in highlighting individual’s personal skills and lead them towards
professional development.
The report herein is conducted to evaluate different approaches towards a self-managed
learning and lifelong learning. Furthermore, an audit shall be conducted where it can analyze
skills to meet the present requirements.
TASK 1
1.1 Approaches to self managed learning and evaluation of their suitability
Self managed learning can be the most challenging and the brightest opportunity for
oneself to grow as well as to enhance current capabilities of an individual. The term self
managed learning has been referred to a specific learning approach which is also known as self
development or self directed learning. As a matter of fact, this learning is a holistic approach
used by an individual which is supported by strong values. Individual are trained on how to
perform their roles with rapid change in technologies and procedure.. This form of constant
learning assists the individual staying abreast of all the development in their field of working
(Carpenter and Stimpson, 2007).
The different approaches to self managed learning and its suitability are stated in clear terms
below-1. Internet as a mode of learning: With the technological advancements, internet has
become a common source of gathering information in relation to any topic. Internet
assists in developing own style of learning that can vary from person to person. This has
further enabled to not just identify the form of learning style which is the most suitable
but also to check on how it can be used effectively. The socialized sites like Facebook
twitter etc. and other community sites. Through these social sites one can share ideas and
acquire knowledge by the way of communicating with one another.2. Mentoring- It is process in which a learner and mentor is involved and subsequently
learner gains knowledge about their various aspects of personal and professional life. The
key role of a mentor is to guide and facilitate the learner. The combination of a self
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managed learning and mentoring has been perceived as an excellent source to nurture the
individual learning.3. Research- Research as a self managed tool of learning can help in focusing on specific
topic and gather relevant information and facts about it and compile them in a form of a
report. Research has helped me in investigation about a specific area and further it has
aided in identifying the scope as well as the issues pertaining to research (Kira, Eijnatten
and Balkin, 2010). By way of primary data collection, individual can learn and interact
with one another.
4. Seminars and conferences- This seems to be the best approach to enhance individual self
managed learning as it shows its presence at occasion that will help in sharing ideas and
experiences. This has further enhanced in boosting upon and improving personal skills
and gaining confidence to speak in the public (Gordon, 2003).
With the help of self managed learning, one can get acknowledged with personal and
professional skills. Thus, it is important that one must be encouraged by self-managed learning in
order to gain success.
1.2 Approaches towards lifelong learning
Knowledge is acquired and simultaneously skills are developed, learning is an
unavoidable circumstance in a human life. Lifelong learning is related to creation and
maintaining a positive attitude towards learning for both personal and professional development.
Lifelong learners are self-motivated to learn and develop as it is a deliberate and voluntary form
of act. In short, lifelong learning is an ongoing, voluntary and self-motivated pursuit of
knowledge for either personal or professional reasons.
There are mainly two reasons for learning throughout life: for personal and for
professional developments. It is not necessary that these two reasons should be distinct as, a
personal development can help in enhancing employment opportunities in the same manner as
professional development can enable personal growth (Cooke, 2012).
The different approaches that can help in lifelong learning in order to gain personal and
professional development are:-
1. Continuous learning- This form of learning can help in identifying the areas of growth in
personal and professional knowledge of an individual. Updating one's base of knowledge
by acquiring new skills and understanding different facets by way of training, coaching
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and mentoring.. Constant evolution should be brought in skill, understanding and
knowledge. This form of learning requires an individual’s own perceptions, efforts, time
and individual interests to learn new things..
2. Self-analysis- By undertaking SWOT analysis personally it will assist in professional
learning as by doing this the individual will come to know about what sort of strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats shall be mentioned. (Sekerka and Chao, 2003)
3. Effective form of leadership- An effective leadership is a form of interpersonal dynamics,
it is about learning the manner of influencing others. This is a part of lifelong learning
process where people can learn to tackle a situation and ways in which it can attain its
goals.
4. Motivational means- Lifelong learning requires self motivation. Through optimistic view
a learner can acquire different abilities to learn and lead to individual enhancements.
5. Improvement of communication skills- In the rapid era of globalization, companies have
more commonly multicultural ambiance in its organization. Thus, it is important for one
to hold knowledge and possess good communication skills to become more interactive in
the organization.
1.3 Benefits of self-managed learning to individual and organization
The self managed learning is beneficial for the organization. The self-managed learning
can help in attaining great effectiveness in personal and professional development of an
individual. A person can use self-managed patterns of learning to provide him with an
opportunity to explore its individuality and gain knowledge of the different areas. While
academic course can be more limited to a particular sphere of learning, self managed learning is
a focused particular pace of knowledge acquisition which is desirable and reasonably attainable
by a person.
Self managed learning provides a person to gain insight about the external world along-
with exploring own self as well. With the help of this, one can decipher the personality that he
possess and become more aware of their traits (Mumby, 2012).
One is able to procure own learning style and gather knowledge with information and it
instills a sense of responsibility and the individual become responsible for the pace and quality of
learning processes.
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The self-managed learning in turn is sometime used deliberately within an organization
due to following reasons:
1. This foster personal development which help in attaining business competency.
2. The development help in meeting varied changing business needs (Nutley, 2008).
3. It helps in fostering teamwork and at the same time encourages individual to make
enhancement in their learning.
4. They can help in providing systematic framework which can assist in adaptation of new
roles (Popovici and Bolitho, 2003).
5. To spread learning throughout the organization.
4.1 Individual training or qualification required for a work-based problem
Aspiring to work in a software industry, it is important for me to be competent enough to
present myself as a deserving candidate for the job. The most important and crucial aspect in this
industry is to participate in a team in every aspects of working. This is where I lack in specific; I
am facing serious team management issues. The ability to articulate and conceptualize a solution
to both uncomplicated and complex issues has made it difficult for me to solve the problems. To
work in this industry, the individual should have the capability to apply logical thinking and
gather as well as analyze information, design and test various solutions to a problem.
This problem has curbed my opportunities to serve successfully a software industry. In
order to get selected I shall need to participate in analytical thinking and creative problem
solving team activities can help in enhancing my team work. These activities will help me in
meeting following purposes of reasoned thinking and problem solving as well as help me to
know the root cause analysis of such conflicts (Lopper, 2007). The training will teach me on how
to apply different tools and techniques like logical reasoning and analytical tools and techniques
to handle the problem arising in a team.
4.2 Learning styles and communication of information at various levels of organization
The VARK model can be used as a form of learning style, the acronym VARK stands for
Visual, Aural, Read/Write and Kinesthetic sensory modalities which can be used for learning
several types of information.
The learning style vary in the form of -
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1. Visual: People having strong visual preferences for learning like maps, figures, charts,
diagrams and different plans (Zepeda, 2011).
2. Aural: These people have strong aural preference like discussions and chatting.
3. Read/Write- Such people are more inclined towards reading/writing like making of lists,
notes, formats, texts etc.
4. Kinesthetic- These have a strong preference for learning like senses, practical exercises,
cases, trials and errors.
The problem of team conflict identified can be sorted by communicating the information about
this at various levels. These effective communications will help me in resolving problems getting
support to manage such issues arising at workplace.
The manner in which information can be communicated at various levels are-
1. Strategic level- This will incorporate formal means of communication like Report, letter
and Memos. Here, one-way communication is there so only formal mode of
communication is preferred (Wood, 2008).
2. Tactical Level: Here communication can be made by approaching middle level managers
by way of e-mail or face to face communications.
3. Operational level: There are several types of informal means of communication which
can be used to interact with the lower level of managers (Wakefield, and et. al., 2007).
4.3 Evaluating different time management strategy
The different time management strategies are-1. Prioritization: Herein, all tasks in a day can be ranked on the basis of their importance.
Ranking can be grouped in the form 1st, 2nd and 3rd. The 1st can be considered the most
important priority. The lower level of priorities can portrays less important task which
can be performed later.2. Delegation of work: Where one has been indebted by too much work the less important
task can be delegated to others for managing their time more effectively. The delegation
process will also assist in gaining specialization.3. Postponement of unnecessary task: The task can be postponed and it can be done until the
important work is completed.
4. Organizing work: The work can be organized and it can be scheduled to meet the aim
systematically.
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I believe prioritizing and delegation of work can be chosen as an appropriate strategy to meet the
organizational objectives. With the help of prioritization one can complete their task within the
stipulated time. Delegation of work can further assist in attaining specialization in the work
performed by me.
TASK 2
2.1 Current skills and competencies against professional standards as well as organizational
objectives
Name-
Contact-
Career Aim
Enthusiastic about working in a dynamic business environment wherein I am able to
learn and effectively portray my talents. Furthermore, I want to work as a software engineer in an
established company where I am able to work as per my interest and exhibit my capabilities in a
business environment. Aspire to hold a reasonable position in this field and come out with flying
colors in the field of software industry.
Academic Qualifications
DEGREE UNIVERSITY YEAR OF PASSOUT
Master in Science (MSc) University of Liverpool 2010
Bachelor of Science (Bsc) University of Liverpool 2007
High School GCSE board; Stanford
Academy
2004
Key strengths
1. Motivated to learn new topics
2. A good listener
3. passionate and dedicated work
Accomplishments
1. Got first price in inter-state competition conducted for a quiz.
2. Got second rank in 2nd year of my bachelor's degree.
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Profession skills are important to be acquired for working with efficiency in a software industry-1. Technical building skill- In order to become competent and capable in this industry it is
important to have adequate acknowledgement of the changing technology in this
industry.2. Problem-solving skills- One must have the ability to undertake decisions on their own
and solve problems arising in the organization to attain goals effectively in an
organization (Day and et.al., 2006).3. Communication skills- A good interpersonal and communication skills can be used to
become interactive with colleagues and accomplish goals with efficiency in the
organization.
4. Planning and organizing skills- In order to work in a renowned software corporation it is
important that I must know how to manage my work with efficiency. This is possible by
planning and organizing the work accordingly.
2.2 Personal and Professional analysis
Strengths Weaknesses
l Ambitious
l Good with the basic concepts
l Good writing and communication
skills
l Hard worker and dedicated towards
work
l Has the potential to handle a team
l Lack of experience
l Impatient and emotional
l Lack of multitasking
l Feeling of frustration
l Absence of time management
l Fear of failure
Opportunities Threats
l Experience gained at education
level
l Make use of contacts in software
industry
l Knowledge can be acquired from
l Competition from other people
l Unemployment
l Loss of job due to some weaknesses
l Changing business environment i.e.
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experts
l Increasing importance of IT
industry
l
legal, political, economic, social etc.
Following activities are required to meet the identified needs:
l Working on skills – I need to work on improving my skills and making them compatible
according to the changing business conditions. Practicing time management – Different
time management strategies can be adopted by me. These includes prioritizing,
identifying the urgency, making work schedule etc.
2.3 Development opportunities to meet current as well as future needs
Following are the development opportunities needed to meet the current and future needs: In
order to work effectively on the position of software engineer, I need to work on the following
requirements:l Analytical skills –This skill is the foremost requirement for this kind of job. It is because
job of a software engineer is a complex and needs high level of analytical ability. Wrong
interpretation can lead to bad resultl Accuracy – Another thing which is required is accuracy. One has to be more accurate in
analyzing software results. This can be gained by more practice and training sessions.
l Competency – In order to survive in the IT industry I need to be more competent as
compared to other individuals. It will bring effectiveness in my work
2.4 Personal development Plan
The goal to become a part of software industry can be fulfilled by following the below
development plan-
First month Second month Third month Fourth month
Objectives Acquiring
knowledge in
relation to my
career path
Time
management is
learned
Enhancing
communication
skills
Increasing
analytical skills
Actions required Using available Practicing varied Getting into close Undertaking more
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to be served sources like
reading books,
internet, experts
advice, etc.
types of
management
strategies
interactions with
others (Back and
et. al., 2003).
Participating in
GD's Debates,
seminars etc.
complex projects
and solving brain-
teaser puzzles etc.
3.1 Short and long-term objectives
Different types of processes are needed to implement the development plan. These are as
follows:l Workshops – In order to enhance my leadership skills I will attend workshops where
different types of leadership styles are practiced. For improving communication I will
join communication classes and this will improve my way of interaction with other
people (Rees, 2005).l Internet – It is the most easily available source these days for the purpose of gaining vast
amount of knowledge. It is the most powerful weapon for self-managed learningl Cognitive skills – I also need to work on my cognitive skills. It is possible through
solving difficult puzzles, riddles, mind games etc. This will prepare me to face different
types of challenges on my path
l Guidance under experts - It is a valuable learning as I can take guidance or suggestions
from experts who can teach me through their experiences. It will contribute towards my
professional development (Time Management Skills. 2001).
3.2 Documentation of the planned activities
The different activities and processes that are stated shall be documented. The
documentation will assist in analyzing success and will help in measuring performance gaps
conveniently. The attainment of goals for individual and organization by documenting my
records of progress will become easier. The personal and professional development plan helps in
accomplishment of targets as per its requirements.
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3.3 Critically evaluate own learning against the desired objectives
It is important to distinguish between the actual and perceived objectives. In the above
PDP plan, I shall critically analyze my performance and check whether the plans are in tune with
the original goals set or not. The objective to attain knowledge for career path, time management,
development of communication skills and increment in analytical skills are to be checked
whether it is achieved or not. This implied that I have been able to attain the skills to some extent
but still require putting in more efforts to achieve them to the fullest.
The ways in which I can check my learning are-
1. Expert advice can be gained to make improvements.
2. Obtaining reviews and feedback from colleagues, mentors, family, friends etc.
3.4 Update of Plan
Below is the updated Personal and professional development plan:
First month Second month Third month Fourth month
Objecti
ves
Acquiring
knowledge in
relation to
my career
path
l Practicing
self-managed
learning
l Time
manageme
nt is
learned
l Adopting
a more
discipline
d
approach
l Enhancing
the
communicati
on skills
l Working on
vocabulary
l Increasing
analytical
skills
l To gain
cognitive
skills
Actions
require
d to be
served
l Using
available
sources like
reading
books,
internet,
experts’
l Practicing
varied
types of
manageme
nt
strategies
l Preparing
work
l Getting into
close
interactions
with others.
Participating
in GD's
Debates,
l Undertaking
more complex
projects and
solving brain-
teaser puzzles
etc
l Accepting
more
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advice, etc
l Attending
workshop
and taking
learning
sessions
schedules
l Doing
proper
planning
seminars etc
l Performing
interaction
with people
challenging
projects
CONCLUSION
From the above report it can be concluded that self-managed and lifelong learning are
two aspects that can help in building personal and professional development of an individual.
Moreover, the aspiration to become a part of software has been met by attaining communication,
analytic, technical skills. Lastly, I have looked onto my personal development plan where I have
recognized that in order to meet my goals of being a part software industry, I shall learn to
manage time and acquire knowledge to develop my career path.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Back, D. and et. al., 2003. Interpersonal Skills in Organizations with Management Skill Booster
Passcard. McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Carpenter, S. and Stimpson, M. T., 2007. Professionalism, scholarly practice, and professional
development in student affairs. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice. 44(2).
pp. 502-521.
Cooke, A. N., 2012. Professional development 2.0 for librarians: developing an online personal
learning network (PLN). 29(3). pp.1 – 9.
Day, C. and et.al., 2006. The personal and professional selves of teachers: stable and unstable
identities. British educational research journal. 32(4). pp. 601-616.
Gordon, J., 2003. Assessing students' personal and professional development using portfolios
and interviews. Medical Education. 37(4). pp.335-340.Samaras, P. A., 2010. Self-Study
Teacher Research: Improving Your Practice Through Collaborative Inquiry. SAGE.
Kira, M., Eijnatten, V. M. F. and Balkin, B. D., 2010. Crafting sustainable work: development of
personal resources. Journal of Organizational Change Management. 23(5). pp.616 – 632.
Lopper, J., 2007. Personal Development: 40 Best Articles. Lulu.com.
Mumby, D., 2012. Organizational Communication: A Critical Approach. SAGE Publications.
Nutley, T., 2008. The Little Book of Personal Development. 2nd ed. Lulu.
Popovici, R. and Bolitho, R., 2003. Personal and professional development through writing: The
Romanian textbook project. Developing materials for language teaching. pp. 505-517.
Rees, F., 2005. 25 activities for developing team leaders. Pfeiffer.
Sekerka, L. E. and Chao, J., 2003. Peer coaching as a technique to foster professional
development in clinical ambulatory settings. Journal of continuing education in the
health professions. 23(1). pp. 30-37.
Wakefield, L. and et. al., 2007. Leadership and learning: facilitating self-directed learning in
enterprises. Journal of European Industrial Training. 31(5). pp.324 – 335.
Wood, T. J., 2008. Communication in Our Lives. 5th. ed. Cengage Learning.
Zepeda, J. S., 2011. Professional Development: What Works. 2nd ed. Eye On Education.
Online
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Marc, 2012. How to achieve your goals. [Online] Available through: <
http://www.marcandangel.com/2010/05/10/how-to-achieve-your-goals/>. [Accessed on
20th november 2015].
Time Management Skills. 2001. [PDF]. Available through:
<http://www.cgg.gov.in/publicationdownloads2a/Handbook%20on%20Time
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